WINE&DINE
THREE SYMBOLS OF LATE SUMMER Figs, olives and basil The flavours of late summer, representing living monuments to history, mythology and perfect taste, have shaped the world in which we live for centuries
I t is August in the Mediterranean. The air is thick with heat, the mid- day sun dissolves shadows from stone streets and, in the distance, you can hear crickets chirping. Time almost stands still, while nature offers its ripest delights. Purple fruit of wisdom and censorship The fig is a botanical wonder, because technically it isn’t a fruit at all, but rather an inverted flower that blooms within its own membrane. It is considered the first cultivated plant of the Neolithic period, cultivated thousands of years before whe- at. According to a famous ancient legend, the export of figs from Athens was stri-
ctly prohibited, and citizens who repor- ted smugglers of this sweet treasure we- re called sykophantes (those who show the fig). Centuries later, this word wo- uld evolve into the modern word sycop- hant – referring to a servile flatterer who fawns over influential people for personal gain. Ancient Greek Olympians ate figs as a primary source of energy prior to com- peting, while the philosopher Plato was so fascinated by their effect on focus and the brain that he called them the ideal fo- od for philosophers, thus becoming the most famous ancient philosykos (fig lover). The fig has played a completely di- fferent, almost dramatic role througho- ut the history of art. During the 16 th and
17 th centuries, at the height of the so-ca- lled “Fig Leaf Campaign”, church autho- rities considered ancient and Renaissan- ce art to be excessively unrestrained. This led to the practice of covering the genitals of marble and plaster sculptures throug- hout Europe with specially designed pla- ster or metal fig leaves, which can still be seen in the Vatican Museums. Thus, this fruit, which in nature celebrates pure fer- tility and maturity, became a universal symbol of censorship. In modern gastronomy, the ripe Au- gust fig experienced a renaissance throu- gh the combination of the seemingly in- compatible. Top chefs no longer reserve it for use in jams, but cut it into quarters, lightly brown it with a few drops of aged balsamic vinegar from Modena and serve it over crispy prosciutto and mature goat cheese or gorgonzola. The sweetness of the fig cuts through the saltiness and fat of the cheese perfectly, creating a contrast that lingers in the memory. Emerald anchor and liquid gold “Where the olive tree surrenders, the Mediterranean ends” – so they say. Accor- ding to the Greek foundational myth of Athens, when the goddess Athena and the god Poseidon competed to be the prote- ctor of the new city, Poseidon offered a sal- twater spring as a symbol of naval power, while Athena stuck a spear into the grou- nd, from which the first olive tree sprou- ted. The citizens chose Athena, recogni- sing in the olive tree food and medicine, but also oil to light lamps. Its branch has since carried the universal message of pe- ace, while wreaths for Olympic champi- ons were woven from that wild olive tree near the temple of Zeus. The resilient oli- ve tree refuses to die; its roots burrow in- to the hardest limestone, feed on the dry August heat, and turn it into liquid gold. Sampling premium olive oil is today a matter of prestige and general culture, and professionals never try it with bread. A proper tasting involves pouring some oil into a glass that’s heated by being cu-
Ko god se prvi setio da spoji zrele smokve i slani sir zaslužuje neku kulinarsku medalju Whoever first thought of combining ripe figs and salty cheese deserves a culinary medal
96 | Ukus leta » The taste of Summer
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